~C~ is for COOKING Introduction

Hello Readers and Fellow Chefs....and yes, I mean you! Whether you've been professionally trained or you prepare daily meals for your family, the moment you step into that kitchen and cook a meal, Voila' you are a Chef! By definition a chef is "a cook in charge of a kitchen,head cook; any cook."

We all get in that kitchen and wait for the moment of creativity to strike. Some of us, like myself, ponder what I'll whip up for dinner, beginning the day prior. Others, can enter their kitchen, open the cupboards and fridge and take it from there. Being creative doesn't mean five courses using ingredients one is not familiar with; it can be as simple as adding some roasted almonds to your usual dinner salad or finding an interesting herb grinder, you just want to sprinkle on your steak. You'll be surprised what genius you possess once you know how to throw things together. So tie on your mental apron and let's get cooking!

What You Will Need:
D.I.V.A.
1. Desire to cook
2. Ingredients you already have; and just in case you don't have them, easily found at your local market.
3. Verve - Energy and Enthusiasm to make it special
4. Appetite - Preferably a healthy one!

I can only speak for myself here, but there are just some comfort foods that I cannot do without. I try to eat healthy but I go through spurts of eating what makes me feel good. I never had much of a sweet tooth for cake or ice cream and since I'm allergic to chocolate, can't indulge there, but pizza, by far is my all-time comfort food of choice. Let's find out why!?

Well, it has it's bread component. God knows I could woof down a loaf of Italian bread in one sitting. It's loaded with gooey cheese that strings itself around the tongue with a hint of salt. Then there's the tomato factor that sparks a little tartness to it all, adding the right amount of moistness so you don't choke; And if I were to top it, mushrooms for me thank you! I love earthy flavors; can't get much earthier than mushrooms.

So you see, in one comfort food, I get the whole enchilada! Pizza..you know what I mean!

Anyway, all the flavor profiles in pizza, makes pizza what it is and why it's so popular. It's that combination of simple ingredients when incorporated together create perfect harmony, never compromising the other. One compliments the other and so on.

I always felt it was important when combining ingredients that the integrity of each ingredient is not compromised. Try this little taste test. Next time you are having something that is familar to you, such as pizza, tacos, chicken salad, etc., close your eyes and individually name each of the ingredients you can decipher from one bite. Then take a peek to see if you were to name all the obvious ones. We all know what salt and pepper taste like, so those don't count on the visual scale; but name those too.

 Why, you ask? Simple. If you can accurately decipher the ingredients in something you enjoy, you will know that those ingredients as standalones blend well together and now you can use two or more of them together to create a different dish. Here's a simple recipe that proves this theory:

Let's use Pizza again. Ingredients: Dough, Tomato Sauce, Garlic, Herbs and Cheese

We're going to make:
ITALIAN SAUTEED CHICKEN BREAST

• Wash chicken breasts, trim off fat and dry them with paper towel.
• Heat skillet add 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• On medium to low heat, gently brown chicken until partially cooked through.
• Add one 16 oz. can tomato sauce or regular jar sauce (enough to almost cover chicken)
• Season with garlic powder, a pinch of salt and pepper (according to taste)
• Lower heat to a simmer and allow to cook turning breast halfway through cooking time for about 35 minutes or until juices run clear.
• Serve over pasta and sprinkle with grated Parmesan or Romano cheese.
• Place a piece of Italian Bread on the side.

There you have it. We incorporated all the flavor profiles of pizza into our chicken recipe. I could have called it Pizza Chicken for that matter.   By learning how to distinguish flavors and keeping in mind ingredients that naturally go together, you can create countless number of meals. Who says food has to be boring and cooking a chore...not I, says ~C~!

© 2010 ~C~ is for Cooking